To Be A Muggle In A Wizard's World
by dagonette
Summary: It's Hogwarts letter day in the Potter household. Letters arrive, as well as news that may or may not be unexpected. It'll be a day to remember. Harry POV. Possibly AU


The Potter family sat around the kitchen table in silence. This was an important day for any magical parent, Harry and Ginny had congratulated both of their sons on receiving their Hogwarts letters.

Of course, it was usual for the child to show signs of magical ability before the first day of July in their eleventh year. When James, at the age of one, had catapulted the cat across the room without touching it, his proud parents had announced the news to every member of the family. Albus's magic was more eager to let itself be known, six months after his birth in a screaming fit he had smashed all the glass in a mile's radius, including that in his father's glasses. This had made the newspapers, despite Harry's best efforts.

Lily had been much like any other child, or rather muggle child, whilst growing up. Her family hoped that she simply had her magic under control to the extent that it seemed nonexistent, but this did not fit in well with the Lily that most people knew, a well-meaning, if fiery-tempered girl much like her mother. It was, however, much harder to come up with excuses as birthdays went by. The "s-word" had been thrown about away from small ears, it had been decided that they would not make this seem like a problem to the small girl who was so excited to go to Hogwarts.

Harry looked around their cosy kitchen, breakfast plates still on the table, untouched where they lay in front of the red-headed girl's parent, empty in front of his excited children. His sons had just had a rather loud argument on whether Professor Flitwick was related to elves or goblins. Ginny had settled the dispute when she said that although he was, in fact, half goblin, this was not something that should really be discussed at the breakfast table.

"It isn't our business, is it, boys?"

Albus, upset at being found to be wrong, got up and looked out of the window for the umpteenth time since sunrise.

"OWL! There's an owl coming!" He was almost shaking with excitement.

Harry smiled at his son. He had been so nervous to go to Hogwarts, worried about being sorted, making friends, normal worries for starting a new school. But within a week, his housemates in the newly reformed Slytherin had welcomed him and Albus hadn't wanted to leave, a reaction Harry recognised and sympathised with. Neither one of his sons had shut up about Hogwarts all summer, this had only fuelled Lily's enthusiasm for starting at the top British wizarding school.

As he watched the owl get closer he secretly harboured hopes that Lily hadn't got her hopes up, but he also knew this was futile. Since she had said goodbye to James as he left on Hogwarts express for the first time four years ago, the school was all she could talk about. He knew Ginny knew the feeling exactly, watching her older brothers going to and from Hogwarts her whole life, this exact day so many years ago had been so eagerly anticipated.

They all watched the owl glide across the garden with differing expressions, from exuberant grins to near grimaces, this day was going to be a day to remember for at least three Potters.

"How many letters has it got? Can you see yet?" Ginny asked tentatively from Harry's side.

The owl landed on the windowsill next to the herbs that Grandma Molly had given to Lily so that she could make her very own herb garden.

James took a handful letters from the owl and tossed it a treat out of the tin they kept for such things.

As his ex-seeker eyes examined the letters in his son's hands, he noticed the slight tremble, a quick glance to his right confirmed that his wife had spotted it too. He quickly wondered if his eldest boy knew the significance of this day for his younger sister.

All eyes were on James as he peeled apart the letters and passed one to Albus, keeping one for himself.

Time seemed to slow as Harry closed his eyes, he could hear Albus tearing into his letter excitedly and no noise from James, no doubt silently asking his mother if he could still open his letter, then the much less enthusiastic sounds of his letter being opened. How long could Harry get away with eyes being closed? He did not want to see that look of disappointment on his daughter's face when she understood what was happening.

"Mum? Where's my letter?" A cheerful voice asked.

Harry's heart fell, if possible, even further. She didn't know yet. He opened his eyes to see his wife biting both her lips, her eyes shiny, staring down at her little girl.

He could almost see it dawn on Lily, as she looked into her mother's face, she knew something was wrong. "Am I going to get a letter Mum?" She turned to Harry, "Dad?" The look on her face was heartbreaking, worried but hopeful, she looked from one face to the other.

Ginny put her hand behind her daughter's head and brought it forward for a kiss before leaving the room, tears glistening as she walked past the window.

Harry bent his knees so that he was closer to Lily's level, "I'm sorry Lils, I don't think you're going to Hogwarts. But there are plenty of other schools, you'll find one just as good. You'll see."

Albus snorted, "Better than Hogwarts, pfft yeah right Dad, it's like the best school in the world!" He was quickly quieted by James's elbow in his ribs. "Oww, Dad!"

Both Lily and Harry ignored this interaction and the brothers moved into the other room, "I'll still get to do magic, right Dad? And go on a train? What's wrong with Mum?"

Harry skirted around the other questions for the present and tackled the most important one, "No, I'm sorry Lils. You can't do magic, it's not a bad thing, don't worry. Sometime in magical families, one or two special people can't do magic, but they're good at other-" Lily cut him off mid-babble.

"I can't do magic? Why not? That's not fair Dad, Albus and James get to do magic and Rose and Teddy... Everyone I know can do magic! Why me?" The temper was surfacing, if anything this was even more heart-breaking. Soon she would hear that Hugo, whose grandparents were muggles, would be going to Hogwarts, while she would go to the local muggle high school. Lily was right, life wasn't fair.

"Am I a muggle Dad?" She looked into his eyes with tears threatening to fall. Harry moved into a kitchen chair and Lily did the same.

"No sweetheart, usually non-magical people from magic families are called squibs. Your cousins are non-magical, you know them, Hannah and David go to the comprehensive in town." Dudley's children, he failed to mention Beth who had received her letter last year, much to the horror of Aunt Petunia.

"They're older than me. Why is it me? How often does this happen? Is... is Mum ashamed of me?"

A cough like splutter sounded from the kitchen door frame where Ginny stood. Harry was angry for a second that his wife's actions had led Lily to worry about such a thing, but she had been crying and he couldn't help but feel for her, "Oh darling, I could never be ashamed of you. This is not a bad thing, you have nothing to be ashamed of. You're special. I'm just sad because I know you were excited. You can do things anything you want, sweetheart. You just might have to work a bit harder to get the things you want. That's no bad thing, they'll always feel better and you'll be a better person for it."

Harry was immensely grateful that Ginny had joined at that moment, that kind of speech was the type of thing he knew was required but couldn't for the life of him formulate it himself.

"We will _always_ love you sweetheart, millions of people do without magic. You'll be able to live in two different worlds, experience all sorts of things. We will always love you." Ginny pulled Lily into a hug, more for his wife's sake than his daughter's, Harry guessed.

Lily had been oddly quiet since Ginny's appearance. But now she chose to talk. "Okay. I don't think I have much choice do I? Do I still have to go to a school?"

Harry smiled, "Yeah, Lils. School's compulsory for everyone, besides, Doctors and Lawyers and Teachers have to go to university to get qualified, we'll get you to have a chat with Aunt Hermione and Uncle Dudley's wife, Sarah. We'll go looking at schools, with any luck, you'll get out of it for a bit while we get you sorted."

This wouldn't be too bad, he decided, he'd lived in the muggle world for the best part of ten years, we could do this.

At that moment, James popped his head around the door, "Mum, Dad, Uncle Ron's at the grate, wants to talk." His eyes glanced at Lily, "Lil, you wanna come down to the river with me and Al?"

Lily ran out to get her shoes whilst James glanced at his parents, "So is she is a squib then?"

Ginny looked at her eldest and said quite clearly, "Yes, and that's no bad thing is it?"

"No, I guess not."

Ginny smiled and kissed James on the top of his head. "Best not leave Uncle Ron waiting right? I'll be in the other room, Harry. Be careful won't you James?" She waited for him to nod before she went through to the drawing room.

James turned to his father, "Dad, shouldn't everything be really difficult if you can't use magic? Will she be okay?"

Harry nodded, "Yes, your sister shouldn't ever have trouble looking after herself, and think about it, if you've never been able to use magic, you can't really miss it can you?"

"No, I guess not. See you later Dad."

"Be back before it gets dark or until one of you gets hungry okay?"

"Sure thing."

Harry was left to his thoughts in their family kitchen, the room that had seen these events unfold. He wondered how the family would react to their less-than-news, he was sure that people had been talking about this day and the magical status of his daughter. Maybe some of Ginny's brothers would find it strange, not Charlie or Percy maybe, their partners were muggle-born. Arthur would love this, if Lily will be growing up as a muggle, she'll have first-hand knowledge of all muggle technology for her doting grandfather. Molly, Molly's cousin was a squib, he trained to be an accountant.

No, the family would be fine.

The press? The press would have a field day, the Prophet would be talking about this weekly. At least Skeeter was under control, the most vicious articles definitely would not be appearing but Harry would be surprised if there wasn't already a piece to do with Lily and her magical status in there, what with it being Letter day.

"Harry? Ron wants to talk!" Ginny's voice carried through the house to the kitchen, bringing Harry out of his thoughts. Of course, Ron was at the grate. Harry looked at the yellow kitchen cabinets and walked through the hall to kneel next to his wife to share the news of the morning.


End file.
